Snowballs and Mistletoe
by elizabeth76lx
Summary: Lee throws a Christmas Party where Shika tries to give Ino a present but isn't sure how to give it to her. Meantime there's a mix of events from jealousy, embarasment, break dancing and a whole lot of fluff.Oneshot


**Hey everyone! It's the holidays and I thought it would be fun to make a ShikaIno Christmas story. I'm sorry for everyone reading my other ShikaIno fic, I know I kinda left you guys hanging on the last chapter but I really wanted to write this and get it up before Christmas. I will finish the next chapter and try to get it up as fast as possible. But here's a Christmas story for our favorite couple, took me longer than I originally expected, so I hope you all enjoy!**

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Christmas time, man what a drag,_ Shikamaru thought at his spot on Lee's couch next to his best friend Choji. It was that time of the year again and as usual too happy for his own good Lee was throwing a huge party with a few people showing up whose names he didn't even know. This particular party always gets crazy as the night goes on, he didn't know why he even bothered coming with never being much of the party type. Well, he did come to give his teammates their presents since it was Christmas Eve and he wouldn't see either on Christmas Day. Choji already received his gift certificate to the all you can eat buffet. But Ino's gift made him a bit nervous.

Scanning the room with his dark brown eyes he picked out faces he recognized. The downstairs of Lee's house was highly decorated to match the season. There was no point in turning on lights because the Christmas lights hung about worked just fine. Everyone was pretty lively, Naruto and Kiba stood off to the side, eyeing a group of girls that Shikamaru recognized but wasn't too familiar with while Lee stood by the drinks, starting early with the spiked punch as Sai worked on the Doritos, still unsure of how to act at his first party. There were others that he knew spread around the room, mingling with different people. But there were three faces he couldn't find.

"Hey, Choji, any idea where Sakura, Hinata and Ino are?" Shikamaru asked his friend lazily. Choji stopped shoving the brownies on his plate down his throat and looked up to scan the room for himself.

"Nope, they're probably just doing what girls do." Choji said before returning to the plate before him.

"And what's that?" Choji looked at his friend.

"Ever heard of fashionably late?" He asked. Shikamaru mouthed an o with his mouth in understanding.

"Typical women." He said before continuing to people watch. He didn't intend to even try to understand them, too much effort. His fingers started to drum on the arm of the sofa in rhythm to the Christmas music that flowed through the air, soon his eyes closed so that he could better concentrate on the music being played.

His eyes didn't open until he heard his friend next to him gasp followed by the sound of food being dropped onto a paper plate. Worried, because his friend would never drop food or miss his mouth, Shikamaru's eyes shot open and swung to look at Choji.

Relief came to him when he realized that Choji was okay. But the expression on his friends face was one of awe with wide eyes and a hung open mouth.

"Choji?" Shikamaru said cautiously before following his friends stare. As his gaze trailed to follow where Choji was looking, he noticed that other people were looking at the same sight and when he saw what they saw, he too couldn't help but sit there in awe.

The three girls had arrived and they all looked amazing. Sakura stood a bit ahead of the trio, hands on her hips and a wide grin on her face. Instead of jeans she had on black leggings that went down to hide in her tan ugs and a short jean skirt. Her shirt was turtle neck that had pink, black and white strips running down it. Hinata stood on her left wearing tight dark blue jeans with white ugs of her own. Her shirt was a navy blue baby doll top that went halfway down her arm and had buttons by her chest. What stood out about her was that instead of looking down at the floor with her hands twiddling in front, she was looking strait up at the crowd with her hands resting together behind her back, showing a bit more confidence than usual.

But Ino was the one that caught Shikamaru's eyes. Standing on Sakura's right, his teammate wore tight light blue jeans that rested on her hips with thin fuzzy white winter boots with some heel. She had on a hot pink long sleeved shirt that was long enough to cover her tight tummy, but still clung so that her curves showed beautifully. The top was low cut, showing just enough cleavage to get guys interested, typical Ino. But what was so stunning was her hair. It was not in a high ponytail like usual, instead she wore it down with half pulled back, held by a small hair clip, her bangs still out front like usual.

Shikamaru watched as her sapphire blues crossed over the room, seeing who else showed up. He closed his mouth and looked somewhere else before her eyes reached him so he wouldn't get caught staring.

"Hey, you lazy bums." Came the blonde's voice. Shikamaru's eyes widened a bit in shock from hearing her voice so close. He recovered before turning around to find Ino standing right by him with her hands resting on the arm of the chair, leaning towards them. She was looking at him and Choji with a smile on her face. "Merry Christmas you guys!"

"Merry Christmas Ino." Choji said, back to his eating.

"Merry Christmas." Shikamaru responded in his casual tone, trying hard not to let his eyes drift down her shirt. Damn her for being so flirtatious he thought. A line formed across Ino's forehead as her eyebrows lowered in thought.

"Have you guys been sitting over here the whole party so far?" She asked.

"Pretty much." Shikamaru said, turning his attention back to the crowd as if he didn't care for the conversation. Ino frowned before moving in front of the couch.

"Come on you two, get up. I can't have my teammates being the boring ones that sit in a corner all night." She demanded. Choji nodded before obeying, his plate was empty anyways and it was time for him to get more food. Ino had a smile of satisfaction on her face when he passed her to head for the buffet. After he went by her she turned her attention back to Shikamaru. "You too Shika, lets go." She reached down and grabbed his hand to drag him off the couch. He followed, knowing there was no point in arguing, he'd lose anyways.

Ino pulled him across the room over to where Naruto, Hinata, Sai, Sakura and Kiba stood talking by the tree.

"Hey you guys." Ino greeted as they approached their group of friends. Shikamaru waved before putting his hands in his pockets once released from Ino's grip. They all talked for a while, laughing underneath the tree's glimmering lights.

Shikamaru couldn't help but notice a change in Ino's behavior as the conversations continued. She was strangely quite and self reserved for herself, she was still nothing like Hinata, but there was defiantly a difference. Actually, once he thought about it, she had been like that for a while now, ever since their mission back in October. But even then, she has grown since they were children, blossomed and matured, a difference he didn't catch on to because of all the time he spends with her.

He continued to stare at her laughing figure, her hand up against her mouth to prevent herself from bursting in a fit of giggles from Kiba's joke. Her deep blue eyes met his dark ones. Realizing he was caught staring his eyes jumped to the floor with a slight blush of embarrassment.

"Come on Shika, you have to admit that was funny." She said. He just shrugged.

"That's cool man. His mind's just so advanced that it takes him a while to process simple jokes like mine." Kiba laughed. "Now if you people excuse me, I'm going to go introduce myself to that cutie over there." He said, pointing across the room at a girl with dirty blonde hair that went down to her shoulders.

"Anyone need a drink?" Sai asked.

"If you don't mind?" Sakura said.

"Same here." Ino added. Sai nodded before heading over to the punch bowl.

"So Shikamaru, you've been awfully quit." Sakura said standing next to Ino. Shikamaru looked at her with his calm dark eyes.

"I have nothing to say." He answered.

"Oh come on man. Don't be such a 'drag'." Naruto said, slapping him on the back. Shikamaru bent forward a bit by the unexpected impact. The others giggled at his shocked face. At first Shikamaru frowned by their reaction to him getting slapped in the back, but soon it turned into a soft smile as he joined in.

Sai returned with the girls drinks. Standing between Sakura and Ino, he handed each of them a cup of punch. Both girls thanked him.

"No problem. It's the least I can do for two gorgeous girls." Sai smiled, making the two girls on either side of him blush. Shikamaru saw the blush on Ino's face when something seemed to twist inside of him.

"So Sai, what do you think of Christmas around here?" Shikamaru said, trying to change the subject.

"Well. It is defiantly different." He responded. "I'm still not sure about all of its traditions. Some of them are very odd."

"I think the best tradition is the mistletoe." Naruto announced.

"Mistletoe?"

"Yea, it's a good way to catch a girl you may like off guard." Naruto looked at Hinata besides him out of the corner of his eyes. She didn't see his gaze, but just the thought made her cheeks turn red.

"It's an old tradition that if someone is standing under the mistletoe, someone of the opposite sex is suppose kiss them." Ino explained after seeing Sai's still confused expression. Her body swinging back and forth as her hands rested behind her with a smile across her face.

"Oh, so if I catch you under it, I'm suppose to kiss you?" Sai asked to make sure he understood. Shikamaru caught the smile on the new ninja's face, making him feel a bit defensive for his teammate.

"Yep, that's the deal." Ino nodded, blushing. Shikamaru could feel his hands in his pockets forming a fist. He was about ready to say something when Sakura spoke.

"Hey Ino, your hair's starting to come out." She said, jealous from the attention her blonde friend was getting. Ino's hand went behind her head for where the clip held her hair back.

"I'll be right back." She said before leaving the group to find the bathroom. Sakura watched her leave with a sly smile before making Sai turn his attention to her. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Hey Hinata, you want to go see what Ten-ten and Neji are doing?" He asked, she nodded so he took her hand and dragged her away. "See ya guys later."

Shikamaru, Sai and Sakura looked at each other, wondering what to do. Without saying anything, Shikamaru left the two, but not before giving Sai a glare that seemed to make the other ninja lean back a bit.

He wandered up the stairs and to one of the hallways to Lee's house. Once he rounded the corner where no one could see him he leaned his back against the wall and let out a big sigh. He shouldn't get all worked up like that; he wasn't sure what had been with him lately. _What is wrong with you?_ Ino and him have always been close friends with their families and stuff, but lately he's felt so much more defensive for her. And her present? He wasn't sure why he had gotten it for her, trying to get the guts to give it to her was hard. It shouldn't be that difficult. It was just a stupid piece of jewelry.

"Shikamaru?" His mind snapped back to attention to see Ino standing by him with question on her face. "What are you doing back here?"

"I needed a breath. It was getting too crowded in the room back there." He answered. She looked at him for a few more seconds before her expression changed into a small smile. She let out a giggle which made him look at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"You. Sometimes you just do things that I can't help but laugh about." She let out a few more giggles. Sometimes she just seemed so strange to him.

"Glad I can entertain you."

"Come on, let's go back downstairs." He nodded before separating his back from the wall. Ino waited for him go down first.

"I wonder what's going on down there." Ino said as a riot of laughter reached their ears from the downstairs.

"Probably Naruto. Unless Lee's already drunk." Shikamaru shrugged.

"Well whatever it is, they sound like they're having fun." Ino's mind became distracted, wondering what was going on that she misplaced her foot on the stairs and began to fall forward.

Shikamaru heard the small yell she gave out and turned around just in time to catch the blonde in his arms. They stood there for a few seconds with his arms wrapped around her as Ino's mind recovered from the shock of falling. Her body leaning into Shikamaru's as her head rested right below his shoulder, her hands clung onto his black turtleneck. She was so close that the smell of his cologne filled her nostrils. Some type of spice mixed with something sweet. The smell relaxed her before she realized where she was and quickly stood back up strait, her cheeks turned scarlet.

"Sorry." She said with her eyes looking at the ground.

"Sorry? You fell. What did you think I was going to do? Let you fall on your face?" He asked with a bit of humor. She looked up to him, her confidence coming back.

"Thank you." He looked at her, his eyes soft and gently.

"No problem." They went down the last few steps and rounded the corner to see everyone in the living room. Standing in the doorway they saw Lee and Naruto trying to do a dance off in the middle to Jingle Bells Rock. It was failing miserably.

Shikamaru leaned against the side of the entrance to watch them, Ino staying by his side. Both were trying to break dance and the drunken Lee was kicking fox boy's butt.

"I believe I am victorious!" Lee announced when the song ended and there was a loud applause.

"I demand a rematch!" Naruto said, breathing heavily.

"Maybe later, I need refueling. To the drinks!" He pointed to where the food was before prancing over to get some more of the spiked punch. The group separated to go back into socializing, a few people dancing to the Christmas music.

"Hey Shika, check out Kiba." Ino said. He looked to where she was pointing to see Kiba sitting on a couch where Shikamaru and Choji were earlier. He was with the dirty haired blonde, their mouths connected as her hands ran through his thick messy brown hair.

"He moves fast." Shikamaru commented, a smile on his lips.

"Hey Shikamaru! Ino! Look up!" Ten-ten yelled from across the room. Everyone's eyes turned towards them as the two in the doorway looked up. _Crap._

Quickly, an awkward situation arose as both eyes saw what hung above them, mistletoe. Both of them blushed when they looked back at Ten-ten.

"Come on you two, it's the rules." She was right. They looked at each other, both unsure of how the other would react. A corner on Shikamaru's lips went up a bit as he realized that Ino was just as nervous as he was.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt." He said with his crooked smile. The blonde seemed to freeze as he put his hand to rest on the back of her neck. Making her head tilt up towards him he leaned down and locked their lips together.

He could feel Ino still frozen with her lips shut as he ran his tongue along the bottom, asking for entrance. Sure enough, she gave it to him as her body started to unfreeze. His tongue dodged in and found hers. There was no fight for dominance as Shikamaru explored the insides of her mouth; rubbing his tongue along the roof he could feel her smile. Her arms slinked up around his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. He lost his balance for an instant, one hand shot out to rest on the door frame to keep them from falling. It lasted for a few more seconds when they broke apart, both breathing heavy as they looked into each others eyes, still inches apart.

Someone in the crowd that was watching let out a cat call, making a blush return to both of their faces as they stood up and separated. Shikamaru shoved both hands back in his pockets, returning the usual bored expression to his face as Ino put her hands on her hips. Some of those they were close to had a triumphant smile on their faces while others tried to keep their mouths from dropping to the floor.

The two walked out of the doorway, Ino heading over to Sakura who stood Sai and Shikamaru heading over to sit by Choji near the warm fireplace. No one said anything to either; instead they turned back to their conversations and dancing.

Ino stood by her best friend, ignoring the conversation that was going on between her and Sai. Ino's eyes were locked on the ground, trying to figure out what had just happened. How embarrassing it was to get caught under there, but wow, Shikamaru….

She lifted her eyes to glance in his direction. She froze when they immediately locked with Shikamaru's who sat across the room, staring at her with his dark brown eyes deep in thought. She couldn't read what he was thinking with his face showing no expression. But something was going on in his mind. A blush returned to her cheeks as she swung her head to look at Sakura and Said who were still talking.

"It's snowing!" Someone announced. Everyone's head turned to the windows to see the giant white flakes float down.

"That's so pretty." Sakura said. "We should go outside."

"You lead." Sai said, holding his hand out to motion her forward. Sakura walked by him, Ino trailing behind. She loved the snow.

They met up with the other people that wanted to go outside, including Ino's teammates.

"Choji, don't you need a jacket?" Ino asked as she zipped up her baby blue jacket and begun to put on her white knitted hat and gloves.

"Nope. Remember, I'm built like a husky. I keep myself warm." He answered. Ino laughed, making Shikamaru look at her, his eyes locked on her expression while slipping on his black gloves that matched his black jacket, skipping the hat.

They all went outside, looking up to see the snow fall above them. Naruto came out and shoved Kiba into the snow. Kiba rolled over and hurled a snowball towards Naruto, but Naruto was too quick and dodged the snowball, making it impact Sakura who stood behind him.

Sakura let out a loud growl before picking one up of her own and attacking Naruto with it, shoving it down the back of his jacket.

"Take that!" She yelled. Watching Naruto jump around the yard, trying to get it out as everyone laughed.

Everyone was so fixed on watching Naruto hop around that no one noticed Kiba make another snowball and throw it at Neji.

Neji got mad and returned the favor, Ten-ten joining in and throwing one at Ino. Hinata even got into it by throwing one at Choji. Soon, everyone was in on the game. Once Lee came out it got really intense with snow getting tossed everywhere and before they knew it they all formed their own teams to battle against each other.

The teams where Sakura, Naruto, Ten-ten, Neji, Hinata and Sai against Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, Kiba and Shino who had come out to join in. Each team hid behind their own ditch. Laughing while tumbling around in the deep snow and making each other cold.

Lee yelled charge as his team came flying out of their ditch to attack the others. But they were prepared and stood up to throw a storm of snowballs at them. Making them stop in their tracks but still throwing snowballs.

Ino fell in the deep snow when Sakura started hurling snowballs towards her. Ino let out a scream, making Shikamaru turn his head. Quickly he ran and threw his body over her so that they hit his back. There was a brief hesitation where Sakura ran out of ammo so Shikamaru had time to help Ino up. When they were back on their feet Sakura threw another snowball their way. This time Shikamaru grabbed Ino and threw both of their bodies back behind the ditch they used for cover, twisting them in midair so that he landed on his back with Ino on top to break her fall.

Both were laughing hysterically at the epic snowball fight. Ino pushed her upper body up from Shikamaru, holding herself above him with an arm resting on each side of his head. Their laughter began to cease as they continued to look at each other, smiles fading.

Ino looked down at Shikamaru with curiosity as he returned the look. Before she even knew what she was doing, Ino lowered her face down to his and once again took him in a deep kiss. This time her taking control. His hand wrapped around her back, pulling her closer to him.

It didn't last as long as the last kiss because Ino started giggling in the middle of it. They broke apart when she rolled off of him, resting her back against the mound of snow protecting them.

Shikamaru rolled over and crawled up next to her. They sat there looking at each other, both unsure of what would happen next.

"I have something for you." Shikamaru said, reaching into his pocket. Ino watched with interest as he pulled out a small silver wrapped box. She took it gently, looking at him before pulling away the silver ribbon that matched the paper.

When it was unwrapped she let out a small gasp. Reaching down she picked up a silver chain with a cursive I on it. In the middle of the eye was her birthstone along with Shikamaru's above and Choji's below.

"Pretty soon it will be rare for us to go on missions together since we're advancing. But this way, no matter who you go with, Choji and I will always be there with you. Team ten will never be apart." He explained as Ino continued to stare.

"S-Shika." Tears started to well up in her eyes, thinking about how much she was going to miss not going on missions with her team anymore.

"Here, let me put it on." He insisted. She gave him the necklace as he took his gloves off and put it around her neck while Ino held up her hair to prevent it from getting in the way.

When it was on she looked down at it. Then turned to Shikamaru.

"Thank you." She said softly. Shikamaru took her hand and squeezed it tight.

"We, will never be apart." She nodded in agreement before placing a small kiss on his cheeks.

"Merry Christmas." She whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Ino."

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**Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all have fun! **

Please review those always give me warm fuzzies inside haha!


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